Night.
Qin Yang was in his room, packing some clothes and taking stock of his money.
There were 4,500 taels of silver from selling off the family property, plus another 3,000 taels that had originally been recorded in Qin Manor's account book.
About 1,000 taels had been spent on Severance Pay.
That left 6,500 taels of silver.
Besides that, there was also a large batch of gold, silver, and jewelry brought back from the Other Shore Cult's stronghold.
He had originally planned to find Li Tong to sell them later, but there was no need now. He could pack them up and take them away himself, then sell them in the Prefecture City. They would probably fetch another 2,000 taels.
That was roughly all Qin Yang had left to his name. He packed everything into a bundle, then returned to his bed to cultivate the Turtle-Snake Art.
Early the next morning.
A large carriage pulled up outside Qin Manor.
Aside from Qian Hai and Xiao Huan, there was one unexpected guest accompanying Qin Yang to the Prefecture City.
"Baling, your father was willing to let you leave him?"
Qin Yang was quite surprised.
Early that morning, Li Baling had been standing at the gate with a huge bundle on his back.
"How would I know?"
"Our family has a relative in the Prefecture City. They said they found me a good master and told me to go there to train in martial arts."
"The old man said you happened to be heading to the Prefecture City, so I should go with you."
Li Baling yawned.
Qin Yang smiled and had Li Baling board the carriage.
Li Tong must have listened to what he had said yesterday, which was why he had allowed Li Baling to leave with him.
But Li Tong could not bring himself to do what Qin Yang had done—sell off all his family assets. In the end, he chose to remain in Linjiang City.
That way, even if Linjiang City truly met disaster as Qin Yang had predicted, Li Baling would not be in danger.
"Drive!"
Qian Hai flicked the reins, setting the horses in motion.
Inside the carriage.
Xiao Huan lifted the curtain and looked back in the direction of Qin Manor. Reluctantly, she asked, "Young Master, do you think we'll ever have a chance to come back?"
"I don't know. Perhaps we will, perhaps we won't."
"The world is unpredictable. I'm afraid even immortals couldn't say for certain."
Qin Yang smiled.
Huff, huff, huff—
A snore suddenly rang out.
That carefree fellow Li Baling had simply leaned against the carriage wall and fallen asleep.
Qin Yang smiled helplessly.
The carriage encountered no trouble along the way and left the city without incident.
This journey to the Prefecture City was long and would take more than half a month.
Along the road, they might even run into bandits and the like.
Qian Hai did not dare let his guard down. As he drove the carriage, he kept watch over the movements nearby.
Half an hour after leaving Linjiang City.
The carriage suddenly came to a sharp halt.
"Ow!"
Li Baling, still sound asleep inside the carriage, bumped his head and cried out in pain.
"What happened?"
Li Baling rubbed the back of his head and muttered.
Xiao Huan was startled as well, her expression filled with alarm and uncertainty.
"You two wait here first."
"I'll go take a look."
After saying that, Qin Yang stepped out of the carriage.
On the dusty yellow official road ahead.
A bald, burly man in a black robe stood in the middle of the road, blocking their way with a Crescent Spade strapped to his back.
The man was built like a bear, and a Black Snake Tattoo covered his head. It was lifelike, as though a black snake were coiled around it, making him look savage and vicious.
Qian Hai's gaze turned grave.
He was an old hand of the Jianghu and could sense hostility in the man's eyes.
"I didn't think you'd still catch up."
Qin Yang shook his head slightly, carrying the Great Chopper on his back as he leaped down from the carriage.
"This isn't a good place to fight."
"How about over there?"
Qin Yang pointed toward the woods nearby.
Zhou Weichan was somewhat surprised. He had expected to see panic on Qin Yang's face, yet Qin Yang remained remarkably calm.
That made him regard Qin Yang more highly.
"Interesting."
Zhou Weichan smiled and nodded.
"Uncle Qian, wait for me here."
"I'll go catch up with this friend."
Qin Yang smiled.
With that, he turned and walked toward the woods.
Zhou Weichan followed at an unhurried pace.
The two arrived in a patch of woodland.
"Luo Jian was the one you killed, wasn't he?"
Zhou Weichan asked softly.
"He had set his sights on my restaurant. Naturally, I couldn't let him go."
Qin Yang answered blandly.
"You're a smart man. After killing Luo Jian, you sensed something was wrong and immediately left Linjiang City."
Zhou Weichan sounded somewhat approving.
"Didn't you still catch up to me?"
"Your Other Shore Cult is truly annoying."
"I only want to train peacefully, but you keep coming to make trouble for me."
Qin Yang sighed.
"It seems you know quite a lot." Zhou Weichan narrowed his eyes.
"What do you think?" Qin Yang smiled faintly.
Zhou Weichan no longer wished to continue the conversation and fell silent.
Qin Yang's gaze sharpened.
Boom!!
A fierce aura rose from both of them at the same time, crashing together violently.
"Gathering Qi Realm. No wonder Luo Jian died by your hand."
Zhou Weichan took the Crescent Spade from his back. With an explosive push of his legs, he charged fiercely toward Qin Yang.
His charging stance carried an immense pressure, enough to inflict tremendous psychological intimidation upon an opponent.
Yet Qin Yang was not affected in the slightest. The moment his hand gripped the hilt of his blade—
Whoosh—
A violent gale swept forth out of nowhere, forming a fierce current of air.
Zhou Weichan's eyes narrowed as he thrust the Crescent Spade forward.
The Great Chopper came crashing down, slamming heavily against the Crescent Spade.
Clang!
Two tremendous forces collided at once.
Zhou Weichan felt both hands go slightly numb and staggered back several steps.
Shock filled his heart. He had never expected Qin Yang to possess such deep and vigorous strength of blood and qi.
Ink Moon Slash!
A low roar burst from Zhou Weichan's throat. The muscles in both arms erupted as he rapidly swung the Crescent Spade, carving streak after streak of black through the air.
Clang, clang, clang—
Excitement gleamed in Qin Yang's eyes. His blade momentum shifted, surging forth like a raging, tyrannical wildfire!
The two weapons clashed in a rapid, dense barrage, erupting with constant thunderous booms and sending fierce streams of air scattering in every direction.
Zhou Weichan's techniques were broad and sweeping. As the Crescent Spade moved, it stirred layer upon layer of roaring airwaves.
Qin Yang's presence was violent, like a prairie fire racing across the land, and he did not yield an inch.
After dozens of savage exchanges.
The shock in Zhou Weichan's heart only grew greater.
Such high-intensity exchanges should have drained one's focus and physical strength enormously.
Even he was beginning to feel the strain.
Yet Qin Yang across from him seemed unchanged, his stamina inexhaustible.
This fellow truly is strange!
Zhou Weichan swung the Crescent Spade with his right hand, turning it into something like a black moon as it smashed viciously toward Qin Yang.
The air currents trembled violently, as if they intended to split Qin Yang alive in two.
Qin Yang let out a low roar, his Great Chopper slashing out just as fiercely!
Clang—
They had already exchanged such head-on blows many times.
But this time.
Qin Yang felt a violent tremor surge from the Crescent Spade and retreated several steps.
This was exactly the moment Zhou Weichan had been waiting for. He condensed palm force in his left hand, which swiftly took on a layer of pitch-black color, and slammed it ruthlessly toward Qin Yang's chest.
Boom—
Then he heard a thunderous roar.
It felt as though his chest had been struck by a Thunder Giant Hammer, and terrifying impact force erupted brutally.
Zhou Weichan's massive, burly body flew more than ten meters away, snapping over a dozen trees along the way.
"Your speed is too slow!"
Qin Yang shook his head disdainfully.
Within the billowing dust.
A figure rose to his feet.
"Cough, cough, cough... It seems I underestimated you."
Zhou Weichan spat out mouthfuls of blood, his face pale.
The next moment, the Black Snake Tattoo on his head underwent an eerie change. It seemed to come alive, emitting black mist as it slowly writhed.
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